Seven’sSpotlight program initially said it had made no payment to Lehrmann for an exclusive interview,only assisting with “accommodation as part of the filming of the story”.

But court documents released last year revealed Seven agreed to pay $4000 per fortnight to cover the costs of Lehrmann’s accommodation for a period of 12 months in return for an exclusive interview deal.

The interview had been nominated as a finalist for the Walkley Awards,but it was removed from the list of finalists after the revelation about the network paying Lehrmann’s rent.

Seven was contacted for comment about the “white powder” video shot in Lehrmann’s home.

Lehrmann,who is studying law,has not worked full-time since 2021.

He has strenuously denied the rape claim made against him by Higgins.

In November,Lehrmann told a court he was “spiralling” when he texted friends he needed cocaine after Higgins accused a then-unnamed man of raping her in Parliament House.

Text messages in evidence in Lehrmann’s Federal Court defamation case against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson reveal he wrote “need bags”,“you got any gear” and “let’s get lit” to friends after Ten aired Wilkinson’s interview with Higgins onThe Projecton February 15,2021.

“Was that because you’d decided to spend some time that night with some friends and that substance?” Ten’s barrister,Dr Matt Collins,KC,asked in the Federal Court in Sydney.

“Yes,Dr Collins,I spiralled pretty quickly,” Lehrmann said.

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